(1) Field of the Invention
This application relates to dumbell and barbell weight training and exercise equipment and, more particularly, to dumbell and barbell equipment with easily removable weights which may also be utilized on standard and Olympic sized bars.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The more commonly used free weight training equipment, excluding the fixed weight type of exercise machines, are the solid, cast dumbells, and the free weight/bar combinations. Solid dumbells have the disadvantage that the weight is fixed and cannot be increased or decreased, thus requiring that a user purchase and store pairs of dumbells covering a wide range of weights. In addition, dumbells which are very heavy, i.e., in the range of 70 lbs. or more each, have the tendency to bend in the middle from use alone or from dropping the weights. Dropping the weights generally cannot be avoided by the serious weight trainer.
Free weight plates, mounted on a larger barbell or shorter dumbell bar, overcome many of the problems associated with solid dumbells. With one bar, a single pair of dumbell bars, and a variety of weights, barbells or dumbells of any weight can be assembled and a change from one weight to another can be easily effected. However, at least for dumbell bars, such weights must be secured to the bar by some means, typically by a removable collar. When training with very heavy weights, the collar often cannot withstand the stress concentrated on the collar from the weights and cannot adequately hold the weights in place.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a weight training apparatus which utilizes easily changeable weights but in which the weights are secured thereto in order to withstand the stress involved from very heavy weights.
A variety of changeable weight exercise equipment, other than the common bar/plate combination, is known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 46,413; 259,752; 484,352; 850,964, 916,813; 937,225; 1,119,169; 1,536,048; 4,076,236; 4,351,526; 4,361,324. However, none of these references provides for weight training equipment which is specifically adapted to withstand the severe stresses involved when very heavy weights are being used. In addition, the various elements of these devices are designed to be used only in that particular equipment and are not adapted for use with other weight training equipment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a weight training apparatus which is specifically designed to withstand the stresses involved from very heavy weights, but which can also be used in connection with other, common weight training equipment.